Gazprom Neft has completed the first season of maritime shipments from the Novoportovskoye oilfield in the Yamal Peninsula, with four tankers — carrying more than 100,000 tonnes of the new “Novy Port” oil — despatched to date.

The shipment of oil by sea was undertaken in the summer of 2014 on a temporary basis (consistent with project plans), following an ecological impact assessment and having secured approval at public hearings, with industrial and ecological safety paramount throughout every stage of transportation. Total volumes extracted since the beginning of the year are in the order of 150,000 tonnes.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Novoportovskoye field is one of the most significant currently under development in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region. Recoverable C1 and C2 reserves comprise more than 250 million tonnes of crude and condensate, and more than 320 billion cubic metres of gas.

The qualities of the new oil, which has been given the name “Novy Port”, exceed those of Brent crude, with a low-sulphur content of around 0.1 percent. Prior to August 2014 shipments from the Novoportovskoye field were only possible during the winter season, with crude transported to a rail station at Payuta for onward transportation to consumers; as at early 2014, distribution from Novy Port via winter routes amounted to around 35,000 tonnes of oil.

Construction of the trans-shipment terminal will allow oil to be transported by sea, round the clock. The possibility of arranging uninterrupted transportation by sea was confirmed in the spring of 2011, when Gazprom Neft specialists aboard the Vaygach nuclear icebreaker completed an experimental passage from Sabetta (a port on the north—east of the Yamal peninsula) to Cape Kamenny, 400 kilometres to the south.

Gazprom Neft successfully completed a programme of drilling under pilot field development In September 2013, with commercial production commencing in the summer of 2014. Production facilities at Novy Port have been built consistent with best international practice and directed at minimising environmental impacts, while ensuring fully reliable performance under challenging climatic conditions. Full field development at Novoportovskoye is expected to be complete by 2016.